Prep Sports Report: Sehome girls advance after epic soccer shootout against Lynden

Sehome girls soccer fans — and even the remarkable Sehome soccer players — may not fully realize the historic nature of how they qualified for the 2A State Tournament.

The odds are thousands to one against a 22-player shootout, but that’s how the Mariners (14-2-3) handed Lynden its first loss in a 2-1 winner-to-state game Tuesday at Civic Stadium.

Four days later, Bellingham (18-3) gave the NWC 2A a sweep of the two state spots in District 1 with a 1-0 win to end a league title season for Lynden (17-2-1).

The 2A State Tournament opens Wednesday, Nov. 13, with eight loser-out games. Two games will take place at Civic Stadium — No. 6 seed Sehome vs. No. 11 Ellensburg at 6 p.m. and No. 4 Bellingham vs. No. 13 Pullman at 4 p.m.

Few high school head coaches in their 20s qualify for four state tournaments in a row in any sport, but that‘s exactly what 29-year-old former Sehome star Emily Webster has accomplished with her alma mater, including two consecutive district titles.

For that matter, Sehome sports fans may not be fully aware of what an amazing overall autumn Sehome athletes have enjoyed, including a sweep of the boys and girls 2A State Tournament in cross country Saturday.

On the same Saturday, Sehome finished third in the 2A District 1 Championships in girls swimming behind champion Bellingham, in the wake of Sehome’s 8-1 second place behind Bellingham in NWC dual swim meets. Sehome also enjoyed a 14-0 season in boys dual-match tennis.

In volleyball, the Mariners turned in a 16-4 season but lost in four sets to Archbishop Murphy on Saturday in a winner-to-state match to end district play, two days after the Mariners eliminated Lynden in four sets.

And in football, the Mariners qualified for the 2A State Tournament for the first time in six years with a State Round of 32 victory over Chief Sealth, 48-17.

Has 58-year-old Sehome ever risen so high in a single fall season?

Girls Soccer

Sehome and Lynden were tied 1-1 at the end of regulation and two golden goal overtimes, but nobody could have foreseen what an incredible parade would follow in the shootout phase with penalty kicks.

If a shootout is not decided in the first five rounds of penalty kicks, the teams continue to take turns shooting from 10-yards or so in a goalkeeper’s worst nightmare. For all that, a team gets one winning point.

But, in this case, goalies Clarice Hickey of Sehome and Isla Holman of Lynden were nothing short of almost unbelievable. Hickey had swatted away four shots and Holman had blocked three shots when the shootout ended at 8-7 with an unstoppable perfect shot by Sehome sophomore defender Kaitlyn Schroeder.

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Just as important, in the soccer rearview mirror, was a penalty kick by Sehome’s fifth shooter, junior star Keira Reeves, who scored Sehome’s only goal in regulation on a free kick for a 1-0 lead in the second minute of the match.

Had Reeves missed in the shootout, Lynden would have won the shootout 4-3 and thus the game .

“I’m not our best penalty kick shooter, but she (Webster) put me fifth because I do well under pressure,” said the affable Reeves. “I feel like I’m one of our calmer players. This definitely is my most exciting moment at Sehome.”

Sehome’s six other successful penalty kicks were by Bailey Berreth, Kylie Ivcevic, Maya Jorgenson, Ayla Woodworth, Emery Samuelsen and Hickey, who then slapped away Lynden’s 11th shot and set the stage for Schroeder.

“I’m so proud of how our girls really fought for this win,” said Webster, whose team repeated as District 1 2A champion.

Lynden scored on penalty kicks by Jayda Villars, Rilanna Newcomb, Wren Dickson, Evelyn Saldivar, Reta VanderMey, Meg Clarke and Lucy Plenkovich,

“Meg Clarke scored our goal (in the 12th minute) off a deflected shot by Evelyn Saldivar,” Lynden coach Clark Bourgault pointed out.

Bellingham came into the game with Lynden with similar credentials — 15 shutouts and 71 goals for the Bayhawks and 13 shutouts and 75 goals for the Lions.

Bellingham’s outstanding freshman goalkeeper, Uma Bachmeier, made a tremendous save in the 62 nd minute. Teammate Grace Gouran hit the crossbar in the final seconds of regulation and Ivy Newell’s shot in the final minute of the first overtime also hit the bar.

All of the first five penalty kicks for both sides were good in the shootout, but after Lynden’s sixth shot missed wide, Bellingham senior Ruby Jane Brown booted an impossible-to-stop winner.

“I had never taken a penalty kick in my life,” Brown said. “But I wasn’t nervous. I felt confident I could do it.”

“Lynden eliminated us from state last year,” Bellingham coach Spencer Wolfe said. “Defense is a core value for us, and our players in the back center on defense — Samiah Rowe, Ruby Jane Brown and Malia Hanks — were all so solid today.”

Making good on penalty kicks for Lynden were Jayda Villars, Rilanna Newcomb, Wren Dickson, Evelyn Saldivar and Maliah Mitchell. For Bellingham, which went second, there were also five consecutive scores by Gouran, Newell, Kira Carlson, Ella Morrow and Sloan Mahn.

In a loser-out game Thursday, Bellingham shut out rival Squalicum 2-0 with freshman goalie Bachmeier logging the team’s 15th shutout. Brown scored off a corner kick by Morrow in the 19th minute and Sophia Dionne scored in the 63rd minute.

Squalicum, coached by Jose Rodriguez, finished 11-7-1 with only one senior, Hannah Bates.

In a previous loser-out game Nov. 5, Bellingham beat Archbishop Murphy 3-0 with two goals by Newell (assists by Sophie Brady and Ella Morrow) and one goal by Gouran (assist by Morrow) in the 66th minute.

On the same day, Squalicum eliminated Burlington-Edison 6-2 as freshman goalie Kailana Perez played well, and Rodriguez was thrilled to see freshman Siri Hoglin score the first and last goals with her 14th and 15th scores of the season. Other Storm goals were by Arya Sabato, Kiarra Voigt, Ava Simmons and Iyla Holley. Coming through with assists were Addi Wilson, Simons, Bates (two) Voigt and Ania Stawicki,

1A District

In winner-to-state crossover games against District 2 teams Saturday at Sammamish High School, district champion Lynden Christian (11-8-1) and Nooksack (5-17-1) were both eliminated.

LC fell to Bear Creek 2-1 and Nooksack lost to University Prep 5-0.

“After we fell behind 2-0 (early), our girls did everything they could to make it a battle,” said LC coach Brent DeRuyter. “I’m very proud of them for that. We love them and always hope to spend the most amount of time with them, since they are family. Just bummed out that our time was cut short. Our plans are not always The Lord’s plans, so we will honor Him regardless of wins and losses.”

“Kayla Yun had our goal (her team-leading 12 th) to celebrate her birthday with a beautiful shot from 25 yards out into the upper right corner of the goal,” the longtime coach said.

Nooksack qualified for the crossover with a 3-0 loser-out win over Blaine Nov. 5 behind two goals by Gretchen Elmendorf and a score by Khloe Mora, with an assist from Jessica Kingma.

Volleyball

Sehome eliminated Lynden (16-4) from 2A District 25-21, 15-25, 25-23, 25-20 on Thursday but the Mariners were ousted two days later by top-seeded Archbishop Murphy in a highly competitive match 25-18, 28-26, 25-18, 28-26. Archbishop was coming off a sweep by league champion Burlington in three sets.

Sehome star Hayden Niewiadomski had one of her best matches with 22 kills and 12 digs against Lynden. Emmy Lee had 36 assists, while Leah Lockwood had 4.5 blocks and 11 kills. Makenna Andrews contributed 14 digs and Bridgette Adams and Paige Flory also played well.

Two days earlier, Sehome swept Anacortes in three sets behind Niewiadomski’s 14 kills and .500 hitting. Lee had 30 assists, while Andrews had 12 digs and four aces, and Lockwood had five blocks to go with four aces by Flory.

In their final match of the season, Lynden’s Finley Parcher had 17 kills and 18 digs, Rian Stephan turned in nine kills, four aces and 11 digs, Campbell DeJong had 23 digs and Izzie Stephan had 27 assists and three aces.

Lynden suffered the closest possible three-set loss in Burlington’s 25-23, 25-23, 27-25 district win Nov. 4. Parcher had 10 kills, Rian Stephan turned in 10 kills and two aces, DeJong had 15 digs, and Izzie Stephan had 23 assists and 11 digs. In other district matches the same day, Anacortes eliminated Squalicum in three sets and Archbishop Murphy dropped Sehome into the losers’ bracket in three sets.

Lynden came back the next day to eliminate Lakewood 25-10, 25-22, 25-14. Parcher had 18 kills, three aces and 21 digs in one of the sophomore’s best matches, while Izzie Stephan had 35 assists, eight digs and three aces and Rian Stephan, Lexi Hermanutz and Sarah McVie all had seven kills and Kamryn Hermanutz had six digs. DeJong led with 17 digs.

Ferndale (11-7) opened District 1 3A play by sweeping Meadowdale 25-16, 25-20, 25-15 behind 14 kills by Svetlana Baydak and 10-kills by Lay Williams. Brooklyn Larrabee guided the team with 33 assists and four kills, while Gabby Lenssen had three aces and Katrina Ferry made 11 digs to send the Golden Eagles into a match Tuesday, Nov. 12, at Lynnwood.

1A District

With all games Friday and Saturday Nov. 15-16 at the Yakima Valley Sundome, No. 6 seed Meridian will meet Bear Creek Friday at 10:45 p.m. and No. 8 Lynden Christian will face No. 9 Stevenson at 2:30 p.m. Both winners and losers will play a second game later the same day.

In winner-to-state crossover matches with 1A District 2, district champion Lynden Christian (12-8) beat Granite Falls 25-17, 25-11, 25-13 and district runner-up Meridian (16-7) earned a return trip to state while dominating Eastside Prep 25-13, 25-10, 25-13.

“Once again we had a very balanced attack,” said LC coach Dennis Franzen. “I’m very pleased with how our block game and defense gave us a lot of quality scoring opportunities. We’re excited to continue in the state tournament. This is something we’ve worked toward all season.”

Jocelyn Eshuis had nine kills and two blocks for the Lyncs, while Etta DeJong had 10 kills, Ella Fritts had 38 assists and 10 digs and Ellie Meyer had eight digs and five aces. Allison Wright had 10 kills and 2.5 blocks, Ellie Pierce had nine digs and Lyla Parriera had three aces and eight digs. Danya Dykstra had five kills.

Melanie Short led coach Angie Short’s Meridian team’s victory with 11 kills and eight digs, while Eden Bernardy had 12 digs and three aces and Grace Wells had 21 assists. Amelia Konig contributed five aces, and Gracie Pap had six kills and .852 hitting. Rylan Bernardy and Kinsley Neal had four aces apiece.

Earlier, the Lyncs took the district title over Meridian 27-25, 25-18, 25-23. DeJong had eight kills and eight digs, while Dykstra had seven kills and two blocks and Fritts contributed 33 assists, two blocks and two blocks. Wright had xix kills and 2.5 blocks to compliment Eshuis’s four blocks. Parriera, Meyer and Pierce combined for 19 digs.

Meridian was led by Short with 13 kills and eight digs. Rylan Bernardy had 16 digs while Neal had 13 digs and Wells had 27 assists.

Meridian came back from the loss to LC to eliminate Nooksack Valley (10-10) 25-19, 18-25, 25-21, 25-23. Eden Bernardy had 12 kills and 11 digs, while Gracie Pap hit .733 with `12 kills and Short had an outstanding effort with 18 kills, 18 digs and five aces. Rylan Bernardy had 16 digs, while Wells had 41 assists and Neal served three aces. Nooksack Valley was led by Grace DeHoog with 14 kills, Elizabeth DeLange with 13 kills and two blocks, Peyton Bartl with 28 assists and Avery Juergens with 15 digs.

Nooksack Valley earlier eliminated Blaine 26-24, 25-22, 25-20 behind Bartl’s three aces, six digs and 25 assists and DeLang’s 12 kills and .333 hitting. Gracie Rutgers had nine kills, while DeHoog had 10 digs and two acex. For Blaine, Kaitlyn Harrington had 15 digs and 11 kills, while Brie Smith had 10 digs and 23 assists, Carly Sauders turned in seven digs, Hannah Phelps-McDonald had 10 digs and Teia Dube had 17 kills and 10 of the team’s 63 digs.

Cross Country

To absolutely no one’s surprise, Sehome’s top-ranked and heavily favored boys and girls again swept the 2A State Championships on Saturday in 5K races (3.1 miles) at Pasco’s Sun Willows Golf Course.

Sophomore Lil Desler completed a trifecta when she followed her league and district titles with her first state championship. Desler ran 18 minutes and 9.9 seconds to win by 11 seconds over runner-up Sloan Dickson of Lynden.

Sehome senior Nick Gargano ran his most outstanding race to finish second in 15:29.2, which was 2.3 seconds behind the favorite in the boys race, Anacortes junior Dylan Rowell.

Sehome’s girls won their fourth title in a row and their 14th championship since first winning in 2002. Sehome’s boys claimed their second consecutive title and their 13th since first winning in 2005.

Longtime coach Kevin Ryan said he could not have been more gratified, since Sehome’s seven boys all finished in the top 19 in the field of 156 runners, and Sehome’s girls all finished in the top 37 among 160 runners.

“My race was definitely more tactical than anything else,” Desler said. “I was more focused on my place than my time in this race. I was in the first five runners for the first mile, then took the lead in the second and third miles

“We all felt great,” said Desler, who was fourth in the two-mile at state track as a freshman. “I think we worked together well and we worked very hard all season. Then we were cheering on the boys in their race.”

Ryan lauded both of his top runners.

“Lil ran a great race and followed our plan to a T,” Ryan said. “Nick and (fourth place) Skyler Gillham gave Rowell everything he could handle. They really made Dylan earn it.”

Bellingham, led by seventh-place Baynes Machinski, also won a trophy with fourth among the boys.

In the 1A championships, Meridian’s boys finished third to gain their fifth trophy in school history, coach Mike Holz said, and the girls finished sixth. Meridian’s highest finish was by junior Logan Ignacio with second place in the girls race at 18:53.6 among 109 competitors.

“I was super proud of both of our teams,” Holz said. “From top to bottom, everyone had a good performance. We maxed out and put our best foot forward. I thank the kids for showing integrity, heart, and kindness.”

The entire teams for the Sehome, Bellingham and Meridian boys are listed below, along with the teams of Sehome and Meridian among the girls. Also listed are all the Whatcom County runners who qualified to compete as individuals.

State Championships

At Sun Willows Golf Course, Pasco

Winners and Whatcom County runners (5K)

2A Boys

(Places are on an overall basis, including runners on teams that did not qualify as a team)

1. Dylan Rowell (Ana) 15:26.9, 2. Nick Gargano (Se) 15:29.2; 4. Skyler Gillham (Se) 15:33.6; 7. Baynes Machinski (Bell) 15:59.6; 12. Heath Terry (Se) 16:07.3; 13. Jackson Rogers (Se) 16:07.7; 14. Dylan Hall (Se) 16:07.8; 16. Sebastien Vahid (Se) 16:09.30; 18. Berkeley Pass (Bell) 16:11.0; 19. Judson Berreth 16:11.5; 30. Peter Chesbrough (Bell) 16:39.0; 31. Jack Beglin (Bell) 16:40.0; 37. Jonathan Piper (Sq) 16:44.9; 49. Taylor Rush (Sq) 16:52.8; 53. Tarver May (Bell) 16:57.2; 92. Alden Melanson (Bell) 17:29.8; 102. Joseph Brenton (Bell) 17:37.2.

Team leaders: 1. Sehome 34, 2. Bainbridge 79, 3. Ellensburg 87, 4. Bellingham 105.

2A Girls

1. Lil Desler (Se) 18:08.9; 2. Sloan Dickson (Lyn) 18:19.9; 5. Sloane Clines (Se) 18:45.9; 9. Sydney Harri (Se( 19:05.8; 12. Samantha Knipp (Se) 19:15.5; 16. Sandra Voigt (Sq) 19:20.6; 19. Zaya Smith (Bell) 19:31.5; 20. Kjirsten Ludeman (Se) 19:34.9; 23. Nora Seltz (Bell) 19:39.30; 27. Nora Alexander (Bell) 19:47.8; 30. Abby Rusk (Se) 19:49.7; 37.Alivia Hernandez (Bell) 20:15.7.

Team leaders: Sehome 40, Anacortes 71, Ellensburg 121.

1A Boys

1. Will Carroll (Annie Wright) 15:28.4; 6. Reuben TeVelde (Mer) 16:10.1; 15. Nickolas Luce (LC) 16:33.2; 19. Nolan Jacoby (Mer) 16:36.7; 35. Asher Todd (Mer) 16:55.7; 47. Canyon James (Mer) 17:15.5; 69. Kellen Todd (Mer) 17:37.30; 86. River Durben (Mer) 17:55.6; 98. Larson Rische (LC) 18:09.2; 105. Carson Siadel (Mer) 18:13.0.

Team leaders: 1. Cedar Park Christian 49, 2. Bush 60; 3. Meridian 122.

1A Girls

1. Haley Schweppe (Montesano) 18:47.0’ 2. Logan Ignacio (Mer) 18:53.6; 35. Adelle Ashmore (Mer) 20:40.5; 56. Aunaleisa Ross (Mer) 21:28.8; 59. Maddy Swanson (Mer) 21:38.l6; 60. Allie Gordley (Mer) 21:38.6; 63. Zoe Furtado (Nooksack) 21:40.8; 65. Ava Hansen (Mer) 21:42.9; 83. Laila Mellema (LC) 21:59.4; 94., Cadence Scellick (Mer) 22:27.8.

Team leaders: 1. Cedar Park Christian 102; 2. Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls) 3. Montesano 135; 6. Meridian 153.

3A Girls

1. Sophia Rodriguez (Mercer Island) 16:48.1; 59. Katie Manly (Ferndale) 20:00.0.

Girls swimming

Bellingham, with two consecutive years of perfection in dual meets, won all three relays and had double winners in junior Grace Sorensen and freshman Jasmine Garcia to take the District 1 2A/1A championship Saturday at Fidalgo Pool in Anacortes.

Sorensen and Blaine’s Hailey Ferrell both swam two state times — those needed for automatic qualification for state in any meet — and Garcia also won two individual events to help the Bayhawks amass 302 points. Anacortes was second with 241 and Sehome was third with 220.5.

The top three finishers in every event qualified for the State Championships this weekend at the King County Aquatics Center in Federal Way. The next three finishers, as in the “A” bracket, can be considered the wild card entries based on times and for alternate roles as needed.

The race with the most state times was the 500 free, won by Ferrell in 5:04.01, with Sehome’s Elsa Ethelbah second in 5:26.93 and Bellingham’s Peyton Acord third in 5:33.55.

Sorensen won the 200 free in 1:54.15 and the 100 fly in 56.14. Ferrell also took the 200 individual medley in 2:17.98. Ethelbah, second in the 200 free in 2:03.96, also swam a state time.

Bellingham was fine from start to finish. The meet-opening 200 medley relay team of Addy Hayes, Acord, Sorensen and June Wilson swam a state time of 1:58.54;, as did the meet-closing 400 free relay team of Garcia, Sorensen, Acord and Annika Holland in 3:53.13. The other Bellingham relay squad, the 200 free relay of Garcia, Holland, Hayes and Wilson, won in 1:49.37.

Star sprinter Garcia was the only freshman to win, claiming the 50 free in 26.33 and the 100 free in 58.21.

Acord also was an individual champion, taking the 100 back in 1:04.34.

Winners and Whatcom County placers in the “A Division” are as follows:

200 medley relay: 1. Bellingham (Hayes, Acord, Sorensen, Wilson) 1:58.54; 2. Sehome (Parnia Gharaei, Priyanka Costanzo, Ayla VanJaareveld, Taylor Tellefson) 2:07.83; 5. Squalicum (Mars Molina, Aliyah Martin, Kate Truemper, Natalie Ravitsky) 2:17.03.

200 free: 1. Grace Sorensen (Bell) 1:54.15; 2. Elsa Ethelbah (Se) 2:03.96; 3. Annika Holland (Bell) 2:07.81; 5. Brielle Hicks (Se) 2:30.18.

200 IM: 1. Hailey Ferrell (Bl) 2:17.98; 4. Kaitlin Morris (Lyn) 2:39.79; 6. Sage Maden (Se) 2:41.02.

50 free: 1. Jasmine Garcia (Bell) 26.33; 2. June Wilson (Bell) 27.62; 3. Mars Molina (Sq) 28.26; 4. Addy Hayes (Bell) 28.72; 5. Eden Shields (Se) 28.82; 6. Ella Brede son (Lyn)( 29.17.

1-meter diving: 1. Samantha Mandeville (Archbishop) 362.65 points; 4. Laura Webb (Se) 220.50; 5. Cora Burns (Se) 203.45; 6. Aviva Weinstein (Bell) 186.70.

100 fly: 1. Grace Sorensen (Bell) 56.14; 4. Kaitlin Morris (Lyn) 1:12.63; 5. Parnia Gharaei (Se) 1:14.30.

100 free: 1. Jasmine Garcia (Bell) 58.21; 2. Ayla VanJaarsveld (Se) 59.93; 3. June Wilson (Bell) 1:02.25; 4. Ella Bredeson (Lyn) 1:04.27; 6. Brielle Hicks (Se) 1:05.41.

500 free: 1. Hailey Ferrell (Bl) 5:04.0-1; 2. Elsa Ethelbah (Se) 5:26.93; 3. Peyton Acord (Bell) 5:33.55; 5. Annika Holland (Bell) 5:53.65; 6. Priyanka Costanzia (Se) 5:56.38.

200 free relay: 1. Bellingham (Garcia, Holland, Hayes, Wilson) 1:49.37; 2. Sehome (Ethelbah, Maden, Tellefson, Van Jaarsveld) 1:53.21; 14. Lynden (Claire Fleming-Butela, Hall, Morris, Bredeson) 1:59.17; 5. Squalicum (Truemper, Martin, Molina, Ravitsky) 2:00.87.

100 back: Alli Claridge (Ana) 1:04.34; 3. Parnia Gharaei (Se) 1:08.59; 4. Addy Hayes (Bell) 1:12.42; 5. Kate Truemper (Sq) 1:12.43; 6. Madeline Nies (Bell) 1:14.62; 100 breast: 1. Peyton Acord (Bell) 1:14.83; 2. Priyanka Costanzia (Se) 1:17.48; 5. Helaina Taysi (Bell) 1:27.44; 400 free relay: Bellingham (Garcia, Sorensen, Acord, Holland) 3:53.13; 2. Sehome (Maden, Hicks, Costanzo, Ethelbah) 4:11.97; 4. Lynden (Bredeson, Hall, Fleming-Butela, Morris) 4:32.12.

Team scores: 1. Bellingham 302, 2.Anacortes 241, 3. Sehome 220.5, 4. Lynden 103.5; 5. Marysville-Pilchuck 99, 6. Squalicum 98; 7. Archbishop Murphy 89; 8. Burlington-Edison 64; 9. Blaine 49; 10. Coupeville 10; 11. Meridian and Mount Baker 3 each.

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